The family of a man with cerebral palsy in the southeastern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau has lodged a complaint against local police claiming they injured him after he was found not wearing a motorbike helmet.

Hoang Thi Dieu Hanh, the mother of Nguyen Hoang Duy, 20, sent the complaint to the police in Dat Do Town.

At around 11 p.m. on June 27, three motorcycle traffic cops attempted to pull over Cao Van Toan, 21, who was driving a motorbike with Duy on the back seat.

The pair was not wearing helmets.

Sergeant-major Nguyen Xuan Phuc, one officer, said they fired five warning shots into the air, which Toan ignored.

They said Toan drove for 10 kilometers, only stopping because he ran out of gas.

Toan and Duy then got off the bike and fled into a paddy field. The officers chased after them.

Sergeant-major Phuc and his colleague Nguyen Hoang An caught Toan and handcuffed him.

Duy, who was born with cerebral palsy, was nabbed by Sergeant Dang Van Loc, according to Phuc.

Phuc said he saw Duy scream in pain and later realized that Duy had apparently sprained his ankle.

Duy's mother, however, claimed her son had been beaten by the police. He is being treated at a local hospital.